Attorney I- Public Defender's Office

The Travis County Public Defender’s Office (PDO) is a comprehensive public defender office envisioned to be client-centered, independent, and innovative to the needs of Travis County residents. Consistent with nationally recognized best practices, the PDO provides high-quality holistic defense representation and other support to people, including juveniles and those living with serious mental illness/intellectual or developmental disability, accused of criminal offenses via its three divisions- General, Juvenile and Mental Health.   

The Attorney I is a key member of the PDO team with responsibilities in providing zealous representation and advocacy to indigent people in Travis County. 

Distinguishing Characteristics:
 Attorney I: This is the first in a series of seven attorney-related job classifications within the Attorneys job family. This classification handles cases and matters that are the least complex and may result in the least serious consequences without supervision.

 
Salary Information:

• Provides client-centered criminal defense representation to indigent clients.
• Works as a part of a multidisciplinary team to provide holistic representation. 
• Performs legal research. Searches resources and studies legal records and documents to obtain information applicable to case or issue under consideration. 
• Drafts briefs, motions, orders, subpoenas, contracts and other legal documents, as well as correspondence and reports. 
• Oversees the creation and issuance of legal documents, including subpoenas, motions, orders, writs and warrants. 
• Prepares cases for trial. Collects, organizes and prepares evidence, information and other legal materials. 

• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

Eligible to complete J.D./LL.B. from an accredited law school no later than Summer 2025.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:Will consider delayed start dates for highly qualified candidates who will take the Texas Bar by July 2025 (offer contingent on successful admission).

Please attach resume to application.

Preferred:

• Applications with a cover letter detailing interest in the position, including why you want to work for the Travis County Public Defender’s Office.
• Recent legal writing sample.
• Hearing and trial experience consistent with years of practice.
• Ability to fluently speak and write in Spanish.
• Mission-aligned experience (work or lived) advocating on behalf of people/communities directly impacted by the criminal/immigration/indigent civil legal systems.

 
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
 
Knowledge of:

• Enmeshed penalties and collateral consequences triggered by criminal-legal system contact.
• Best practices in socially and culturally competent representation of marginalized people.
• Jurisprudence, criminal and civil law and procedures, including constitutional and statutory law. 
• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines. 
• Effective techniques for presentation of cases in court or to effectively present facts and precedents verbally and in writing in law related matters. 
• Policies, practices, procedures, and legal terminology related to court system. 
• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and a variety of software packages. 
• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation. 
• May be required to develop knowledge of and adhere to federal and state laws requiring the confidential handling of certain health information.

Skill in:

• Problem-solving and decision-making. 
• Analyzing and appraising facts, policies, procedures, and legal precedents in area of specialty. 
• Both verbal and written communication, including presentations.

Ability to:

• Exercise sound judgment.
• Communicate effectively across lines of difference with others.
• Conduct legal research and analysis, both manually and electronically. 
• Present facts, precedents and arguments verbally and in writing and apply negotiation skills. 
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing. 
• Work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. 
• Manage time well and perform multiple tasks and organize diverse activities. 
• Work well under pressure and exercise tact in trying situations.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

The PDO is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. The PDO strongly encourages candidates of all identities, experiences, abilities and communities to apply. All applicants should be dedicated to working in and sustaining an environment that enables staff and clients to feel empowered, valued, respected, and safe. In considering applicants, the PDO values an applicant's experience and/or thoughtfulness in working with people from communities that experience marginalization. 

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 25 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client/customer contact, squatting to perform the essential functions. This job description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and overtime eligibility may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.

This position is anticipated to start in September 2025.